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Vintage Argus Argoflex Model E

I came across this awesome vintage camera today in The Emporium of Olde Towne. I’ve never seen a camera like this one before and to be honest I felt so ignorant while taking this picture of it (how ironic). So of course, I had to google to learn more about this small piece of machinery.

This is an Argus Argoflex Model E medium format TLR camera. TLR stands for twin-lens reflex and that is the two lenses of 75mm focal length on the camera, one is used as a view finder and focusing lens and the other for actual picture taking. These cameras were manufactured all the way back in the 1940s and use 620 film as opposed to 120 film! All the settings on these cameras like shutter speed, f-stop and focus had to be dialed in manually and that’s what I find most interesting and amazing about shooting on film! I can imagine capturing a well exposed and in focus shot would be the best feeling in the world!

Finding this camera today has intrigued me and I’m definitely going to start learning more about these cameras and shooting photography and video on film. I eventually would love to buy myself my own camera that I can shoot with and get myself familiar with film before the digital era completely takes over, if it ever does.